MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte said that he has “surrendered” engaging communist rebels in peace negotiations, claiming that it is really “useless”. I said I will stop talking to them because it is really useless,” Duterte said Sunday night during the PDP-Laban campaign rally in Cagayan de Oro City. Duterte made the remark just days after he officially announced slamming the door on the possible resumption of peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). He asked the CPP to just “talk to the next President” if they want to go back to the negotiation table. READ: Duterte shuts door on peace talks: Talk to the next PresidentThe President said he has told the military and police to “finish” the insurgency.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer March 25, 2019 06:45 UTC